Question of the Day

Have you been impacted by the government shutdown?

Your daily look at news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.

JUDICIAL CANDIDATE APPEALS TO US SUPREME COURT:

A Montana justice of the peace candidate is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to rule that he can receive Republican Party endorsements in his nonpartisan race. Mark French is challenging Justice of the Peace Donald Strine in the Nov. 4 election. French wants to tell voters the Sanders County Republican Central Committee and Republican lawmakers have endorsed him, but he cannot under the Montana Code of Judicial Conduct.

COMMISSION VOTES TO KEEP YELLOWSTONE BISON IN MONTANA:

Montana wildlife officials decided Thursday against shipping 145 bison captured from Yellowstone National Park to the Bronx zoo and other locations across the nation, choosing to send them to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. The bison are now being held on a ranch owned by media mogul Ted Turner under a five-year agreement that comes to an end next month, adding urgency to finding them a new home.

MONTANA APPEALS JORDAN JOHNSON RULING:

The office of the Commissioner of Higher Education is appealing a district judge’s ruling ordering it to release information on any action the commissioner took after Montana quarterback Jordan Johnson appealed a university court recommended he be expelled over a rape complaint. Commission spokesman Kevin McRae said the U.S. Department of Education advised the Montana University System against releasing the records to author Jon Krakauer or anyone else, citing the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.

HOUSE CANDIDATES REPORT FUNDRAISING NUMBERS:

U.S. House candidate Ryan Zinke raised $1.9 million for his campaign in the three months between July and September. The Whitefish Republican’s campaign says more than three-quarters of those contributions have come from out-of-state donors. His Democratic opponent, John Lewis of Helena, raised more than $392,000 during the same period. Zinke has more than $490,000 left in the bank while Lewis is reporting more than $261,000 cash on hand.

INQUEST SET IN MISSOULA SHOOTING:

The Missoula County attorney’s office has scheduled a coroner’s inquest for Nov. 3 in a fatal shooting last month outside a Missoula strip club. The inquest will determine if charges are filed against 27-year-old Michael Gordon of Missoula in the death of 23-year-old Christopher Hymel of Madisonville, Louisiana.